SIDNEY — The Greenville Lady Wave rallied from a two-set-to-one deficit to defeat host Sidney 25-19, 21-25, 15-25, 25-21, 15-10, closing the regular season with their seventh consecutive victory.
Greenville finished 14-8 overall and 12-6 in the Miami Valley League, taking third place in the Miami Division behind Tippecanoe and Butler, which each finished 17-1 in conference play.
“I told the girls before we started we don’t need to be perfect, but we have to be relentless,” Greenville coach Michelle Hardesty said. “They certainly were, and powered through and finished well.”
The Lady Wave claimed the opening set 25-19 before Sidney responded with consecutive wins. The Lady Yellow Jackets took the second set 25-21 and controlled the third, winning 25-15 to put Greenville one set away from defeat.
Hardesty credited her team’s improved play at the net with helping Greenville withstand Sidney’s challenge.
“We were much better at the net tonight than when we played them the first time,” she said. “I think we made Sidney uncomfortable most of the night and forced them to earn every point, except for the third set when we just couldn’t string anything together.”
Greenville regrouped in a closely contested fourth set, pulling away late for a 25-21 victory to force the deciding fifth set.
“A new determination began brewing going into the fourth set,” Hardesty said.
Sidney jumped ahead 5-2 in the fifth, prompting a Greenville timeout. The Lady Yellow Jackets also reached eight points first, but the Lady Wave continued to battle.
“We encouraged them to stay confident and hyped up,” Hardesty said. “The girls didn’t lay down.”
Behind Aubrey Baumgartner’s serving, Greenville surged ahead 11-8 and completed the comeback with a 15-10 victory. The Lady Wave outscored Sidney 10-2 down the stretch.
Greenville finished third in the MVL’s Miami Division behind Tippecanoe and Butler, which each posted 17-1 conference records, and ahead of Troy and Piqua. The Lady Wave’s 12-6 conference record would have placed them first in the league’s Valley Division. Greenville carries its seven-match winning streak into postseason play.
The sixth-seeded Lady Wave open the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III tournament against No. 8 seed Chaminade Julienne on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Fairborn’s Skyhawk Arena.
